Imagine this: you are going through your old stuff and find a computer tower that you used to use a few years ago, but you’ve moved onto a much better computer since then. There are many things you can do with the computer tower: sell it to someone, repurpose it in your house as a small cabinet, or enjoy breaking it.
But what if we tell you that your old computer tower can be the perfect place to grow a sneaky little cannabis plant? Don’t believe us? Read on to learn all about growing cannabis in a computer tower and you will.
Here is a short guide on cannabis micro-grow in a computer tower, including its benefits and downsides, steps of setting it up, and many other tips and tricks to help you along the way.
We’d all like to have a massive garden packed with fragrant cannabis plants, don't we? But, unfortunately, that’s not always possible for most of us. Some lucky ones get to grow outdoors and harvest tons of buds! However, most growers are restricted to growing a couple of plants in their backyard or indoor grow rooms, thanks to cannabis cultivation laws.
But there’s another set of growers that may not have that luxury, too. Perhaps you don’t have a backyard and live in a cramped city apartment, where dedicating an entire room to your plants may not always be possible. Some people wait to move to a better place with a bigger growing space or give up growing altogether! But, it doesn't have to be that way. This is where micro-growing comes into play.
Micro-growing is a type of cultivation where you grow cannabis plants in small spaces, like a computer tower. This cultivation method is excellent and allows you ultimate control of your plant’s growth and is much easier to maintain as opposed to a full-fledged indoor hydroponic system.
Plus, it’s the most discreet way of growing cannabis. This is the biggest reason why many growers choose micro-growing cannabis, so they can keep their cannabis plant hidden and out of sight. This can be due to various reasons, whether your local laws don’t allow cannabis cultivation, you have a lack of space or want to avoid unwanted attention from your neighbors.
Microgrowing can be practiced using various systems, including space buckets, closets, cabinets, and computer towers. You can place these systems anywhere you like, even next to your bed or in your living room without worrying about anything, depending on how well you conceal your plant.
If you don’t want to go through the headache of DIY-ing your micro-grow, you can even purchase pre-built micro-grow tents that will suit your house and cannabis strain. But since we’re talking in the context of growing cannabis in computer towers, let’s stick to that.
Lastly, micro-growing involves very few pieces of equipment, like a small light, a computer fan, and a small container, so it is much easier on your wallet too. Depending on the type of system you choose, your micro-grown cannabis can be set up for as little as $100, and sometimes, even for free.
Video Credit - EZgrower
Now that you know what type of growing computer towers belong to, let’s dive in and learn more about this exciting little project that’s big on results. Essentially, micro-growing cannabis in a computer tower is exactly what it sounds like — you take a computer tower or case, strip it off the internals, and turn it into a small garden for your cannabis plant with a container, a couple of fans, and a light. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Computer towers have the perfect build for a “grow room” for your cannabis plants as they are isolated, have multiple attachment points and slots for hanging fans and lights, and are small enough to fit on your work desk. Of course, they can’t compute for you, but at least they’re growing juicy buds!
That’s the biggest benefit of computer towers — they are the most discreet way of growing cannabis in your home. No one suspects an inconspicuous-looking computer tower to house a plant inside — it goes against what you expect from a grow room, which is usually big and full of wiring, lights, and other gardening components.
While we don’t condone illegal activities, computer towers can also protect you from the law as they are less likely to bust open a computer while looking for a plant. The chances are low, and if you are unlucky enough to get a visit from someone uninvited, the computer tower will help protect your cannabis plant from being discovered and you from troubles, legal or otherwise.
If you are thinking the computer tower will make a lot of noise like a typical grow room, you’d be wrong there, too. Here, you’ll be using basic computer fans that create a slight hiss that’s found in every high-powered computer. As for the light, have you seen gamers using RGB lights in their computer towers for aesthetic reasons?
That’s not it. Computer towers also offer some other benefits for cannabis growers, which are as follows.
Even if being discreet isn’t your goal but you still want to grow your cannabis for as cheap as possible, computer towers are a great option. They are much cheaper than other indoor alternatives, except space buckets, since you don’t need to invest in big equipment. Most computer towers grow to use household items and cheap fans that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
Compare that to a proper hydroponic setup and you’ll see the stark difference this indoor cultivation method offers. A typical hydroponic setup will cost you hundreds of dollars if not thousands, and the lights and HVAC will eat up a lot of your energy, too.
One of the best ways to ensure your cannabis grows well is by asserting as much control over its environment and growth as you can. Unlike your own child, you should be a helicopter parent for your cannabis for the best results. That is where computer towers shine, too.
When using a computer tower, you get to have control over the plant’s nutrition, light, and air requirements. Plus, you’ll have to train your cannabis plant. That’s the recipe for a healthy cannabis plant with an excellent, delicious yield.
Cannabis plants are prone to many environmental risks even when growing indoors; you have to worry about pests, mice, pets, and other factors damaging your cannabis plant. Here, computer towers offer a sterile, sealed space for your plants to thrive without these risks.
Everything comes with pros and cons, and computer tower cultivation is no different. There are two risks you need to prepare for when growing cannabis in a computer tower. The first is grower error. A computer tower is an unforgiving environment for your plant, and even minor mistakes can magnify quickly, given the tight tolerances your plant is growing under.
The other downside is the size of the yield. Your plant may produce the juiciest buds ever, but even if you create the best computer tower cultivator in the world, the yield will be a lot smaller. The plant does not have a lot of space to grow, so it won’t grow big and produce a big yield.
Don’t get us wrong, the quality is still excellent, but the size won’t be. This is why computer towers are only recommended for hobby growers dipping their toes into cannabis cultivation, where the size of the yield shouldn’t be a priority. You’ll only have enough buds to enjoy with your best friend, not for a house party.
You’re excited to get started, but before that, you need to make sure you have the right type of computer tower for your cannabis plant. You have a few options here for selecting the right computer tower for cannabis microgrowth.
The first is that you can simply reuse your old computer tower. This is free of cost, but you’ll be sacrificing your computer tower, so make sure it is already out of use. And if you are lucky, you may even make some money selling the internal components of your old computer tower that can be used to purchase lights. Just don’t sell the fans just yet.
If you don’t have a computer tower lying around, you can shop around for one, too. The best way to go here is to get one from Craigslist — you don’t need the fanciest computer tower. Your computer tower needs to be big enough to accommodate a small cannabis plant and some attachment points for internals.
You can even go all out and purchase a gaming computer tower that is modular and customizable. This is the most expensive option, but if the subpar quality does not satiate you, it’s pointless to look at other options. Plus, this route allows you to find the ideal tower for your space and requirements.
Fortunately, you’re not the only one growing cannabis in a computer tower, and many companies have come out with their versions of dedicated cannabis computer towers. These mini-tents resemble a computer tower but are designed to fit gardening equipment and a plant. These will come ready to use, so you don’t even need to set them up.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you are growing cannabis discreetly, you want to make sure your computer tower blends in with your house interiors. So, don’t place the computer tower with your plant on your balcony or the kitchen; place it where it won’t look suspicious.
Growing cannabis in a computer tower is easier than you think, especially when compared to dedicated hydroponic setups, but there’s some nuance to it. So, instead of spraying and praying, it’s better to take the right steps to ensure the best results.
Setting up the computer tower is the most important step of the process, and the decisions you make here will affect the yield of your plant eventually. So, you need to put effort into planning and installing everything. And don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here is a short guide on how to assemble a computer tower for growing cannabis.
One of the tenets of growing cannabis is planning everything in advance. Never take this stage for granted. Not planning everything in advance is a mistake many new growers make and they don’t realize their mistake until the leaves are being eaten up by the fans within the tower, in other words, when it’s too late.
So, whatever steps we discuss in the following sections, along with the equipment you use, the strain you grow, and the training methods to use — note everything down and plan everything so that you have a rough roadmap for cannabis cultivation. You should also prepare for any potential risks that your plant may face and be prepared to address them.
The next step is to gather the equipment needed to grow cannabis in a computer tower. It’s ideal to have everything from the get-go rather than running to the store every two hours because you forgot something.
Here are the materials you need to grow cannabis in a computer tower:
This one deserves a section of its own — choose the right strain for growing cannabis in a computer box. You need to select a strain that grows small while being resilient; your best bet is F1 and autoflowering varieties of stout cannabis strains. Here are a few recommendations:
The importance of choosing the right strain cannot be stressed enough. Avoid choosing strains that are finicky to work with, grow too tall or wide, or require a lot of attention. Your computer tower is a confined space, so you won’t have the luxury of tending to your cannabis plant every couple of hours; you need a small plant that grows well on its own with minimal training.
Here are some important factors to consider when choosing a strain, especially since you’re going to be growing in a small space:
Let’s get started now. The first thing you need to do after you have everything at hand is to clean the PC tower properly. Start by removing any leftover wires, switches, lights, etc. from the computer tower and free up as much room as it allows.
You can leave the power supply intact and use it for powering the lights and fans, but apart from that, remove everything. Once it is bare, use mild soap to wipe down the insides of the computer tower to make sure it is free of rust, mold, litter, and small insects. It should be as tidy as possible.
Next, you must ensure that when you put it all together, the entire tower is sealed properly. You can use various methods to seal the holes.
Cannabis plant requires a lot of light, so even in a computer tower, you need to give it the right amount of light. Fortunately, your plant doesn’t need a lot of light in this case.
Here, your best option is to choose LED lights for growing cannabis in a computer tower as these panels are customizable, so you can give your plant exactly the kind and quantity of light it needs. Plus, LED lights don’t heat up a lot, unlike HIDs, so they are better for such a confined space that is your computer tower.
Yes, LED grow lights are expensive, but you don’t need a lot of them here, so the price difference isn’t much. Most growers can get away with a basic LED bulb for their computer tower, but if you want to go another route or save even more money, you can even choose a CFL light.
Next, you need to measure the PPFD reading of your computer box after installing the light. You can use a lux meter and convert the readings to PPFD, and some phones can also measure this. For the best results, the PPFD reading must be 308 to 617 μmol in 18 hours during the growth stage and 462 to 926 μmol in 12 hours during the bloom stage.
At this time, you should also start covering the insides with reflective material to ensure the light does not escape during the light hours and the plant doesn’t experience light leaks during the dark hours. You can use mylar or panda film here, but if you are short on cash, even aluminum foil works like a charm.
The next thing you need to set up is ventilation, which is crucial for your plant, too. Your plant breathes and the air must be fresh to prevent the risk of mold and mildew in your plant. For this, you need a couple of fans to keep the air flowing through the computer tower.
Use a couple of simple computer fans to pull and push air through the computer tower. These fans are cheap, can be set to the right speed, and work like a charm. Plus, they are made to fit within the computer, so installing them is super easy.
Cannabis smells a lot, especially during the flowering stage, and anyone entering your house will know you’re growing cannabis. So, it’s crucial to control the odor as well. Fortunately, this is quite easy to do with carbon scrubbers.
However, for many growers, a carbon scrubber may be an overkill and give away the setup. What you can do instead is set up an air freshener or filter within the room itself to neutralize the odor.
Now’s the time to plant your cannabis seed into the computer tower. But before you do that, do a dry run of your computer tower to make sure everything works as intended. Then, place your container with the seed/seedling into the tower and let it run. You can even place a small box under the container to bring the plant closer to the light when it’s small.
Beyond this point, continue growing your cannabis plant as usual by feeding it the right nutrients and tending to it on time. But there’s one thing you need to do from now on — train your plant.
The computer tower is small, so you need to make sure your plant fits within without some parts of it cutting off the air or light supply to other parts of the plant. Avoid high-stress training as the plant takes longer to recover from those training methods and is generally not recommended for smaller setups.
Since space is limited in a microgrow, you should do everything to maximize your area and ensure light penetration to as many parts of the plant. Plus, you need to keep airflow in mind. Thus, you should train in such a way that all these factors are met.
Here are a few training techniques that will work well in a microgrow.
Apart from training, you can try other pruning techniques like defoliation to remove any fan leaves that block the light. This will also improve air circulation and ensure that the plant works towards producing more buds. Of course, go ahead and remove any yellow or diseased leaves to prevent any pests from entering your tower.
Growing cannabis in a small space is slightly different from growing it in a big one because you need to keep a lot of things in mind, including humidity, ventilation, etc. Also, you have to do your best to prevent pests. Here are a few tips that may help you get good yields despite growing in a small tower.
Do you believe us now? A computer tower is a terrific place to grow a small cannabis plant as it is discreet and offers a controlled environment for your plant to thrive. Yes, your plant won’t be as big or produce a massive yield, but if you’re someone looking to explore the potential of cannabis cultivation and want a small batch of buds for personal enjoyment, what else could you ask for?
So, get yourself an old computer case, the right cannabis strains, a couple of small fans, an LED light, and some other peripherals, and start growing cannabis in your bedroom — or wherever you decide to place the computer tower. And to know more about growing cannabis in nifty ways, stay tuned to our blog.
